The Loves of Ruby Dee
Page 32
Without opening his eyes, he handed her the letter. It was brief, as Hardy always had been.
“I weren’t much of a daddy, but you’ve always been a good son. I did love you and I’m proud of you. Take care of Ruby Dee. Guess you saw the pictur. If I get to heaven and Jooney ain’t there, I’ll know the truth.
— Hardy
(Guess I won’t know if I go to the other place.)
After he was gone and no one could call him to account for it, he’d expressed what he had never been able to say aloud. Ruby Dee knew this was the gift Hardy had given to Lonnie, too. Or tried to give. It was up to Lonnie to accept.
Later, Ruby Dee and Will lay in the cherry-wood bed in their big bedroom, with its picture window and view of the high plains. So many lights sparkled in the distance nowadays. Ruby Dee lay in Will’s arm and looked at them.
“Are you okay?” Will asked.
“Uh-huh. I’m not real sad. I guess that sounds strange, but I’m so relieved that Hardy lived right up until he died. I wouldn’t have wanted less for him.” She could not have stood seeing him suffer.
Will patted her arm.
They lay there quietly for long minutes. Ruby Dee listened to Will’s heart beating. She never tired of that. Will drew circles with his thumb on her arm through the sleeve of her gown. She didn’t often sleep bare these days, in case she had to jump up and see to the children.
Will said, “You knew about Jooney...that Dad thought you were her, right?”
“Cora Jean told me. I don’t know if he thought I was her, or just that I reminded him of her. Hardy and I never spoke of it. I considered it something private for him. None of anyone’s business.”
“How did she die?” Will asked. “You know, don’t you?”
“She got burned up.”
He didn’t say anything to that.
“Have you been sorry, Will, that we came back here to live?” She hadn’t thought he was, but she worried sometimes.
“I’ve never been sorry, and I’ve never been jealous of Dad. Don’t you know what you are, Ruby Dee? You’re our hub...for all of us. Good God, I’m so glad to have you.”
The emotion, the fervency, in his voice startled her. For an instant she didn’t even dare breathe. And then she threw herself at him. “Oh, Will Starr.”
He kissed her and held her until he slipped off to sleep.
Ruby Dee lay there safe and secure in Will’s arms and listened to the baby nearby in the bassinet, squirming because soon she would awake. Sally got up from beneath the bassinet and hopped up on the bed, sniffing at Ruby Dee to make certain she was awake to take care of the baby.
Ruby Dee stroked Sally’s silky fur and recalled the day she had come driving up that dusty dirt road with Miss Edna’s urn in the front seat and the dream paper in her pocket.
Copyright © 1996 by Curtiss Ann Matlock
Originally published by Avon Books
Electronically published in 2002 by Belgrave House
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This is a work of fiction. All names in this publication are
fictitious and any resemblance to any person living or dead is
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